The Who, What, Why and How of Marketing – Super Simple.

How is marketing different for a solo service based business? The main thing that makes it different is you. You tend to be front and center in your business as you are selling yourself. This is where it becomes a challenge. You just need to get out of your own way!

If you were selling washing machines it would be very straight forward. You would talk about the features and benefits, the price and the specials. People come in your store and they compare and decide. The only part about you, is your customer service.

If you take the time to talk with them, answer questions and smile, they will feel like buying from you. Otherwise it has nothing to do with you. You didn’t make the washing machine so you are not attached, except in wanting to make sales.

But if you are a coach or web designer, it is all about you because you are selling yourself. People can’t see a product sitting in front of them. They can only trust that you will provide the help they want and that they will receive the benefits. This is where marketing comes in.

Your potential client is focused 100% on what they want and why. They want solutions to their problem and want to be convinced that if they hire you, you will provide those benefits.

The only way to do that in your marketing it to focus on:

• Who they are.
• What they want.
• Why they want it.
• How you can help them to get that.

It is super simple, but so many solo business owners want to talk about themselves and explain how they work. It is because of their own self-doubt usually. They may not really understand their clients.

However, people will connect with you much more when you give empathy to them and show you understand their situation and what they want. This allows you to exude confidence as well, and that goes a long way.

It is simple. The trick is to get out of your own way! Can you relate?

2 Comments

Great post, Kaya! I totally agree – in my business of piano artistry, weddings/events are all about the bride/clients! I always ask questions about the vision/mood desired, specific requests they have, congratulate them on their choice to have the elegance of live music, then show them the value I can add.

LInda- thanks for sharing. It sounds like you give excellent customer service and really get to know your brides and what they want.

When you transfer that into marketing, you just do the same thing even before they have made the choice to hire you. There is nothing like live music on a real instrument rather than electronic. What a gift.